Mende song of sorrow

Ethnomusicological sound recording made by Cootje van Oven. A traditional Mende song of sorrow for a missing friend, accompanied by kongoma, wanjo and kogeli. The kogeli is a metal cylinder (not to going right round) held in the hand and hit with a metal beater. The kongoma is a wooden box with a sound hole over which a few metal blades are fixed. The blades are plucked with the fingers of one hand while the side of the box is hit with the other hand or sometimes with a tin. The blades are usually hacksaw blades. The wanjo are a pair of shakers somewhat similiar to maracas. The body of the wanjo is made up of two tin bowls placed face to face, with the edges nailed together.

Further Information

• Type: Sound Recording, Musical instruments
• Object: Mende song of sorrow
• Materials: No Data / Other
• Culture Group: Mende
• Dimensions: No Data
• Production Date: 1966.12.21
• Associated Places: Potoru, Barri Chiefdom, Pujehun District [Place recorded]
• Associated People: Cootje van Oven [Sound Recordist]; Herb Clark [Sound Recordist]; Vandi [Kogeli]; Lamino Lasaneh [Kogeli]; Okeh Bamba [Kogeli]; Musa Fah [Kongoma]
• Museum: Cootje Van Oven Collection
• Accession Number: CVO:258

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